


Nailmasters and Vessels [Improved]: Random Ideas, AUs, and What-Ifs

by Ausomerus



Category: Hollow Knight (Video Games)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Gen, I don't know, The kingsmoulds are there too, where's the happiness?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-29
Updated: 2020-02-18
Packaged: 2021-02-27 13:33:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 972
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22458034
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ausomerus/pseuds/Ausomerus
Summary: Just random ideas that pop into my head while I work on "Nailmasters and Vessels" that probably won't become a chapter.
Relationships: OC Crystal & Nailmaster Mato
Kudos: 3





	1. Fading ([What If] Crystal, Mato, Pale King)

Crystal screamed, tears falling from her face.

“I want my dad!”

The Pale King sneered.

“Vessel, that traitor can’t save you. Surely you know that?”

The Pale King smiled as a pair of kingsmoulds brought Mato into the room. The chains around him rattled as he came to an abrupt stop. He gasped upon seeing Crystal tied to a wooden board. He glared at the Pale King, and spoke.

“If you hurt her, so help me. Not even the Radiance would hurt you as much.”

The Pale King turned to him, and sneered.

“Must I remind you, you can’t do anything. You’re chained up.”

Mato looked at the floor. The Pale King was right, he couldn’t do anything due to the fact that he was chained up. He looked upon hearing the Pale King speak. What he said shook him to the core.

“You shall see what happens to traitors.”

Mato turned his head away upon seeing the Pale summon a spear made of soul, and point it between Crystal’s eyes. His head was roughly jerked up, forcing him to watch as the Pale King thrust the spear between Crystal’s eyes, a cracking sound echoing throughout the room. He felt tears slide down his face as her shade rose from her mask.

He watched as Crystal’s shade attacked the king, and the kingsmoulds with multiple vengeful spirits. She thought to herself.  _ He’ll make it out alive. That’s good enough for me. _ Tears started to fall from his eyes as he realized she was becoming more transparent. He spoke, voice breaking as he failed to choke back sobs. He already knew the answer.

“Crystal, you’re coming home,  _ right? _ You’re going to be okay,  _ right?” _

He heard a thought flow through his head.

“You’ll make it out alive. You’ll be okay. Tell the others what happened here, so it’ll never happen again.”

He watched his daughter fade away as a final thought flowed through his head.

“Love you, Dad.”


	2. Wastelands ([Random Idea] Crystal, Mato)

Mato noticed footsteps leading into the Wastelands. His stomach dropped as he realized it had been weeks since Crystal had ran out of the house in tears. He noticed a torn piece of fabric that looked like it came from the shirt she had been wearing on the day she left, close to the footsteps. He headed into the Wastelands, hoping he wasn’t too late. He noticed Crystal’s silhouette in the distance, and ran to her. He yelled her name, causing her to turn around in fear, clutching her nail in her hand. Her wings were pale, and she immediately dropped into a defensive stance. She growled at Mato.

“Who are you? I recommend you stay away from me unless you want a fight.”

Mato looked around her, and saw a body lying on the ground. He reeled back in disbelief upon realizing who it was. He felt tears streaming down his face as he screamed.

“Crystal, what did you do to him?”

He felt a slash across his chest, going from his left shoulder to his right hip. He doubled over, and fell to the ground as searing pain swallowed his thoughts. He looked up, tears blurring his vision. He could make out the white mask his daughter wore, and the purple shirt she wore. He could make out the nail raised above his head. He thought he saw tears flowing down his daughter’s cheeks. He mentally reprimanded himself.  _ She’s been in the Wastelands too long. She doesn’t remember me, or the siblings waiting for her back home. At least if she kills me, she won’t feel bad about it. _ He sobbed upon thinking that.  _ Never thought I’d die to my own kid…  _

He snapped out of his thoughts upon hearing thoughts flow through his head.

“I feel like I know you. Why did I attack _you?_ I think I know you. Maybe? Why do you seem so familiar? Did we live together? Is that how you knew my name?”

Mato nodded, a smile creeping to his face.

“We lived together, I take it? You’re old enough to be my dad! Are you my dad? Dad? Dad! I’m so sorry! I don’t know why I attacked you! What do I do?!”

Mato smiled.

“Go get… Oro.”

His head fell to the ground as unconsciousness claimed him, almost instantly stealing his awareness of his surroundings.

Crystal ran in the direction his footsteps came from, sparing a glance back at her dad. She silently spoke, voice only audible to those with a mind to project to.

“Dad, I’ll be back. I promise.”


	3. [What If] Lightseeds

Mato ran to his daughter’s side as lightseeds skittered into her mask through her eye sockets. He kept a few lightseeds from reaching her, but it seemed for every one lightseed he killed, five more replaced it. He turned around to see Crystal reaching into her eye socket, trying to get the lightseeds out, tears flooding down her cheeks. Mato heard a thought flow into his head, unbridled fear and despair coming with it.

“Dad, I can’t get them out! Please make them stop!”

Crystal heard the Radiance starting to scream inside her head.

**Kill the Nailmaster! He’ll only get in the way! He’ll try to stop me!**

She felt herself moving like a puppet on strings, preparing to strike her dad. She watched as he raised his nail, tears flowing down his cheeks as he aimed the nail at her. Mato swung the nail. Two  _ plops _ followed shortly after. He caught her as she fell, cradling her close to his chest. His tears fell from his face, landing on his daughter’s mask with quiet  _ plops.  _ Crystal held onto her dad, orange speckled black tears rolling down her face. His voice broke as he cried.

“I’m so sorry, Crystal.”

He softly spoke as Crystal relaxed completely.

“Crystal?”

He whimpered as his mind stayed silent.


End file.
